My First CI
by pechika
Summary: Peter's though on his first CI takes place pre series. Warning : OC character Death mention of torture


**My First CI**

**Fandom: White Collar  
Title : My First CI**

**Author: Pechika  
Rating: R  
Characters: Peter Burke  
Spoilers: Mild Spoilers of Vital Signs  
Warnings/Enticements/Triggers: OC Death and slight mention of torture  
Word Count: ~1100  
Beta Credit: Unbetad all mistakes are my own  
Summary: Peter's though on his first CI takes place pre series.**

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Completing my probation period in DC under Agent Phil Kramer, I finally became full-time agent. I have always loved New York the pace, the vibrancy of the city has always appealed to me. It was closer to home so it made sense to apply for a transfer. The catch the only opening available was in the organized division. I decided to take the plunge it really could not hurt to see how another dept functioned while I waited for an opening in the White Collar division to materialize.

Collecting evidence in any crime is generally tedious - : interviews, surveillance, shifting through reams of paper work looking for common thread. Investigators often use criminal informants or CI to lead investigators to their key targets; they are the insiders and have ability to go places and speak to people inaccessible to law enforcement agencies. Most CI operates on the fringes of law and they are often involved in illegal activities themselves. Getting evidence often slip into grey areas.

Jimmy Burger was my first Criminal Informant. Jimmy was arrested for possession of drugs when my boss and present partner Agent Barry Epps previously worked for the NYPD. Agent Epps introduced us when I started working with him. Jimmy got paid for every time a lead provided by him panned out.

We were trying to close in on the Barrow family was a mafia gang operating in New York in the 1990s. They had their finger in many illegal activities ranging from extortion to drug trafficking to gun trade. Mark and James Barrow headed the " Barrow Family Business".Mark Barrow was the more ruthless of the two. He dealt with suspected traitors swiftly and brutally. Torturing and shot at point-blank range was common. Their bodies generally dumped somewhere near the shore. There were rumors he carried out his execution publicly after breaking his victims. He seemed to have a lot clout in high places. We were unable question him let alone get a warrant for his arrest.

Jimmy worked in 1000 Oaks a small pub in the harbor area. Pubs are an excellent place to gather intel – people tend to get indiscreet after imbibing a few drinks. We had "ears"in several pubs operating in the area. Jimmy was the cook. He could make a mean plate of Buffalo wings. He had dreams of opening a small fast food joint. He had the menu figured out. He took extra shifts, gave us useful leads all towards opening his joint.

Jimmy was a lanky blond man with green eyes. He had a pug nose. Jimmy told me a little about himself over time. He came from a small town near Philadelphia. Jimmy had an unhappy home life and ran away when he was eleven. Moving to New York and he started doing odd jobs to support himself. He took to drugs to cope with the loneliness. He started out as the garbage boy in the pub before slowly graduating to the cook. There was something oddly engaging about the kid. I grew very fond of him over time. The animated waving of arms while he spoke, his stammer are things I still remember.

Jimmy usually called us when he had intel. Either Epps or I met up with him. I think Jimmy preferred dealing with me since I was younger; Barry with his gruff exterior was more intimidating. Occasionally we meet at some park where Jimmy treated me to what he called his signature dish. I still can't eat Buffalo wings without the slight contraction of my chest. Jimmy blush for the first time as he introduced me to his steady girlfriend Susan.

To this day I am not sure how Jimmy got roped into Mark Barrow gun trafficking business. Was it for the money or the thrill of the con? Did he get roped in before he knew what he was doing? Was he coerced into trading guns or getting us info on the gun trade? Did the substantially larger award money for information tempt him? Was he informed about the risks of entering without any back up of any sort? He did offer us some useful leads while he was there. Did our need for information overlook his safety?

We had not heard from Jimmy for over a fortnight. He had not shown to work in the pub either. It was not like Jimmy to go off the grid for so long. Jimmy body was found by some homeless people not far from where he worked. The fact that he had been brutally tortured before being shot some how made it a lot worse. His knees smashed, he had a broken nose and fractured ribs. He was beaten to pulp. His face was almost unrecognizable. We were able identify him by his figure prints. There were no leads to who killed Jimmy. No one was willing to talk. Jimmy's case joined the thousand unsolved homicide cases in the FBI archives. Informing Susan was one of toughest things I have ever had to do. I still picture her angry accusing expression as she shut the door to my face. Arranging a decent funeral did little to assuage the guilt.

Law enforcement agents are a cynical lot it comes with job description. We constantly deal with the ugly side to human nature. Dealing with the constant ugliness can be soul killing. With a huge pressure to solve cases, stretched resources, at times political interference and the ever-present threat of danger to life, some agents tend to forget that informants are people not just resources or tools.

I went through the classic stages of grief in dealing with Jimmy death. The guilt though was over whelming. My poor room-mate Kevin bore the brunt of my varying moods. I oscillated between blaming Agent Epps and myself. Somehow Gary's callous attitude really stung. He seemed to brush of Jimmy death completely. There was little to do but move on and learn from the experience.

Barrow end came shortly after, once we arrested Mark's right hand man. Their organization came down like a pack of cards. Mark and James arrest was inevitable. They are currently awaiting execution. Being part of team that took down the Barrow's helped me get some closure in getting over Jimmy death. Their conviction gave closure to the countless victim they had hurt over the years.

My transfer to White Collar division got through shortly after Barrows conviction. I have been very fortunate since. I meet the incredibly smart and beautiful Elizabeth who I was lucky to marry. I have been blessed to work with an exceptionally bright and loyal team. We function well as a unit and have a great closure rate. I am careful when my teams heads into any operation. Neal my CI says I border on the obsessive when I go through safety drills with the team or lecture him on taking unnecessary risk. Extraction procedures for every operation are always in place. We've been lucky and haven't had any fatalities so far. I hope our luck always continues in this regard.


End file.
